Solid field in the run for Northern Section cross country title; 4 of top 5 finishers last year return to race

There's not a distinct top girls cross country runner in the Northern Section this year.

Instead, there's at least seven girls who make up a strong field for the Northern Section CIF Cross Country Championships that will be held Thursday at West Valley High School

The runner who puts together the best three-mile time can say she's earned the title.

The girls NSCIF championship race is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, following the boys race that begins at 2 p.m.

All varsity runners from the 33 participating schools will run the same three-mile course, treading across both grass and dirt surfaces while enduring three hilly climbs that separate the flat and rolling terrain of the Cottonwood course.

This year's girls individual race in the cross country championships is one of the most wide open contests in recent memory. Four of the top five finishers from last year's championships all return, including defending champion senior Kody Atkins of Chico.

Although Atkins has finished in the top four in the event across all three years, the competition should be tight for the four-time Eastern Athletic League North champion.

Atkins' strongest challenger happens to be a fellow senior and EAL South champion as well as the Northern Section's top-ranked runner: Julie Finn of Oroville.

Finn is competing in her first year in the prep ranks, but she has set the tone for the other competitors this season. Whoever wants to be the best might have to beat Finn straight up.

Another top runner in the mix, competing in her first cross country championship, is West Valley junior Hannah Dorman. This year's Northern Athletic League champion, Dorman has had a stellar cross country career as an Eagle, finishing third as a freshman and second in 2010 as a sophomore in the NSCIF championships. She is expecting that trend to continue through Thursday and looking to claim that top spot.

American Christian senior Stephanie Rasmussen has three top-10 finishes in her career, including third in 2010. Rasmussen is looking to wrap up her prep career with a championship on her final race.

Pleasant Valley's Melanie Hickman was fifth last year and is expected to be another top contender along with West Valley freshmen Jenna Storms, who finished second in the NAL, and Shasta's Megan James, who was second in the West Valley Coed Invitational.

The boys race individual race, on the other hand, has a clear favorite at the top with a bunched-up group of athletes behind him.

Etna junior John Whelan has churned out an outstanding season, going undefeated in Northern Section races this year. Whelan's 15 minute, 37 second time at Stanford has helped him obtain Division V's No. 2 ranked male runner in the state.

Behind Whelan is Paradise senior Dylan Chamberlen, who unfortunately for him has to deal with another top runner after being in the shadow of Enterprise's Domenic D'Acquisto the past few years.

Chamberlen was last year's section runner-up and is a two-time EAL South champion. Yreka's Eric Neill will be in top contention again after winning his third NAL championship and finishing third in the section last year while Foothill senior Tony Meredith is expecting to improve on last year's fifth-place finish.

As for the teams, Division II was eliminated, putting nine teams consisting of EAL North and South teams in D-III.

It looks like it could be a three-legged race with Chico, Enterprise and Oroville for the D-III girls title, which could end either the Panthers' streak of seven straight division championships.

In D-IV girls, West Valley won the NAL championship against Yreka on Thursday, but the two teams have battled it out all year long. The Eagles and Miners are expected to be the top two state qualifying teams for D-IV and West Valley is looking to make it five division titles in the past six years.

University Prep, Mount Shasta and Durham are the top three teams in D-V, with the Panthers winning the small schools title last week and the Trojans capturing the Butte Valley League championship.

As for the boys teams, Chico is looking to continue its run as two-time division champions. Chico won the EAL North title on Thursday. Pleasant Valley and Foothill are both in contention and will give the Panthers and Shasta a fight for the top spots in D-III. Enterprise, which has won four straight D-III titles and 10 of the past 12, doesn't have the depth it's used to.

Fresh off its NAL title Thursday, Yreka is expecting to make it two straight years as the D-IV champions. U-Prep won the small schools meet last week on the same course while Mount Shasta and BVL champion Durham will battle for the second state meet spot.

As for the overall section winner, Chico, Yreka and Shasta are expected to be there in the end. The Panthers captured the Bill Springhorn Invite to kick off the season, but the Miners have one of the deepest teams in the section this year.